


Firstborn

by Cantatrice18



Category: Stardust (2007), Stardust - Neil Gaiman
Genre: Backstory, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-26
Updated: 2012-11-26
Packaged: 2017-11-19 14:29:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/574263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The King of Stormhold is furious that his firstborn child is a daughter, and must decide what to do about the girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Firstborn

It was a disappointment, of course. The advisors, so eager as they’d waited by the door of the Queen’s chamber, now muttered worriedly among themselves. None wished to draw their ruler’s wrath, and there was plenty of that wrath to go around. The King was tempted to have the newborn child thrown off the high tower, useless, wailing thing. All his life he’d dreamed of sons, strong ones, learning to rule and fighting amongst each other the way he’d fought his own brothers for the crown. Such was the way of Stormhold – the strongest and most cunning warrior earned the right to wear the ruby pendant, the Power of Stormhold. He reminded himself that there was time, yet, for his dreams to come to fruition; he was not a young man, but he still had many years left in him. And if the Queen was getting on in years, well, another could be found. This was only a setback, a tiny stumbling block. Still, a firstborn girl was a bad omen. If she survived, she’d have to be married off, and then her offspring could challenge the Stormhold bloodline. Yes, better to wipe that sort of thing out now. The King stood abruptly and walked to the door of his study. Ignoring the flock of dignitaries and nobles that seemed to follow wherever he went, he pushed through them and headed towards the nursery. The nobles peeled off, one by one, as they realized where he was headed. All of them knew of his displeasure, and of his willingness to eliminate anyone who got in his way. They were sensible enough to realize that, should anything happen to the infant princess, they should try to be out of earshot and far enough away to plead ignorance. The King finished his long walk alone, and as he pushed open the nursery doors he steeled himself for the task. 

As he looked around the dark room a pang of sorrow hit him. The place was decorated for a boy, a Prince of Stormhold; swords, tapestries depicting battles, maps of far away lands, paintings of dragons and monsters, all adorned the walls of the little room. The cradle, a carved wooden masterpiece with the crest of the royal family embossed into its sides, stood by the window as if waiting for him. He walked over to it and gingerly lifted the sleeping child up. It would be unwise if anyone heard the girl scream or cry; better that her death be silent. The King turned towards the window, but as he did so the moonlight fell across the girl’s face and he saw that she was not asleep at all. Her sparkling brown eyes viewed him with the fearless curiosity of a child. As he turned his head to get a better look at her, she smiled, reaching a tiny hand towards him. He felt himself freeze as though enchanted. He’d never seen a child so small, so helpless, and yet so brave. She did not know he meant to dash her tiny body onto the rocks below. She did not know how much she frustrated him, how much she’d disappointed all of Stormhold. Her bright little eyes eagerly took in everything around her, enjoying the strange new world she’d been brought into. He took a deep gasp of air and realized he’d been holding his breath as he’d looked at her. Carefully, he set her down once more in the cradle. There was no need for him to deal with her now, he reasoned. She was no threat until she grew a bit, and even then, so long as he had strong sons to succeed him, she would not have to die. Her little fingers had grabbed ahold of his thumb, and as he pulled away he heard her giggle. The sound made his lips twist, not into their usual grimace, but into a smile. She would never be a son, never a ruler, but his firstborn would be the best Crown Princess the kingdom of Stormhold had ever seen.


End file.
